Aztecs' new OC Bob Toledo wants offense to resemble Alabama's

The Aztecs' new offensive coordinator agreed to a 2-year deal

After he resigned from his head coaching position at Tulane in 2011, Bob Toledo moved back to Thousand Oaks, took up a volunteer coaching gig with Division III Cal Lutheran, and was perfectly content being a “semi-retired” former college football coach.

Then Rocky Long called to say that he might have an offensive coordinator position coming open. He asked if Toledo would be interested.

Long and Toledo, 66, are old friends who’ve coached together at UCLA and New Mexico. Long worked under Toledo at the former, but the tables turned in New Mexico, where Toledo was offensive coordinator under head coach Long.

Somewhat intrigued, Toledo told Long to call back if the position opened up.

Andy Ludwig left for Wisconsin, and Long called back.

After having watched the Aztecs from the sidelines at the New Orleans Bowl in 2011, and on TV against BYU in this year’s Poinsettia Bowl, Toledo was intrigued enough by Long’s proposition that he agreed to come down to San Diego to take a look around Montezuma Mesa.

So on Monday, Toledo and his wife, Elaine, spent the day on campus. Toledo visited with quarterbacks coach Brian Sipe and running backs coach Jeff Horton, trying to get a feel for their offensive philosophies.

It didn’t take long for him to make a decision.

On Tuesday morning, he called Long and accepted the job, and a two-year contract. He will be making $300,000 a year.

All friendship ties to Long aside, Toledo said he took the job with the Aztecs because he liked what he saw out of the offense.

The running backs, especially, caught his eye.

Sophomore Adam Muema rushed for 1,458 yards and 16 touchdowns, and finished the season ranked No. 18 nationally. He paired with Walter Kazee this season, but will likely rotate with Chase Price next year in the same capacity.

“Everywhere I’ve been I’ve had 1,000-plus yard rushers, and it looks like (the Aztecs) have a few guys coming back offensively at that position,” Toledo said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon.

The Aztecs also have starting quarterback Adam Dingwell back, as well as most of the receiving corps. The significant losses are tight end Gavin Escobar, who decided to declare early for the NFL, and veteran offensive linemen Nik Embernate, Alec Johnson, Jimmy Miller and Riley Gauld.

Still, Toledo likes what he sees, and he believes his offense will fit well with the Aztecs’ returning personnel.

“It’s a pro offense with multiple formations and personnel groupings. We’ll run with the quarterback under center and from the shotgun,” Toledo said. “I think it’s important to have balance. I like to run the ball and run the play action. It’s the Bill Walsh philosophy. We’ll run a lot of screens, and the backs will catch passes as well.”

Sounds right up Rocky Long’s alley, huh?

It’s actually the same offense Toledo ran when he was Long’s offensive coordinator at New Mexico in 2006.

That year, the Lobos made it to the New Mexico Bowl, and running back Rodney Ferguson led the Mountain West with 1,234 rushing yards.